The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-12-10

against the "pauper labor" of Ireland
for a tariff for revenue" was failure, be-
cause ingenious and intrepid smugglers
and their friends on either shore, laughed
at the law. But this sudden boom &c
the value Of his stock Of liquor, was an
astonisher 10 Peter, as we'll as botheration
| If he took II 70 the custom house he would
have to pay about 80 per gallon duty, while
In the market, thanks to the smugglers II
was plentiful and rather cheaper. A bright
thought thought struck our enterprising
emigrsnt. AS the government through
Its gaugers and excisemen had for years
regularly taxed and collected heavy reyen-
ues from his father, why not play joke on
them and run In this little lot Of whisky
free Of duty! He put his scheme into
operation, by having stout lad to assist
him. He played captains son with the
lad as his servant. They removed the
corks from the jugs grabbed them by the
handles and swung them SO as to make.
believe they we're empte; passed within 30
feet Of the custom house Office, at noon,
marched up town, sold their liquor, go,
Liverpool prices and returned safe. The
profits on this trick paid his passage to
America nicely, and left him something
for expenses!
OFF FOR THE LAND OF LIBERTY.
Mr.. Russell secured passage for the
family In 700 ton ship,-a sailing craft, of
course, for 1t was long afterwards before II
was thought that steamship could be
built strong enough TO brave the perils Of
the ocean. Their vessel left Liverpool
Nov. 10, 1927, and soon was bounding over
the foaming pillows Of the limitless sea.
When they first got on board, he told his
mother that he had sold the whisky and In
Its place she would have to do with coffee,
and while she upbraided him for his exploit
In lodging the custom house, he replied
that she ought to be glad, for If they had
caught him at II he would have been
treated to striped suit and transportation
to Botany Bay for seven years! On the
vessel were only four families-a young
married couple, an English clothier, and
Mrs. Russell's family, in all, about thirty
passengers They had very comfortable
quarters furnished their own provisions
which the cook prepared for them. On
the way they met with an Ice berg, pro
badly rising about 40 or so feet above the
water. They also saw couple of whales,
and numerous porpoises. When within
100 miles of Sand Hook. they we're struck
by tlerce wind storm, and were blown
back. they hardly knew where. They had
been 81 days in crossing to the place where
the hurricane struck them, and It took them
81 DAYS more to get back to that point!
On the Goth day of December they landed
In New York city, and were soon com.
fortably established on shore, whereupon
Peter relieved himself by singing the
following song, which we accused him Of
originating, but he denies the soft i'm
parchment" II went as follows:
MY LUCK ON THE OCEAN.
IT'S we'll remember
One foggy November,
My mother said go, make fortune, my
lad.
go bother the ninnies
Clean out Of their guineas,"
And away then scampered from Ballina-
fad.
To seek for promotion
sailed the wide ocean
Was shipwrecked and murdered and sold
for slave.
Over mountains and rivers
Twas pelted to slivers,
And met on dry land with watery grave.
And then all my cousins
VIII como by the dozens
And also will hobble out Mamma and Dad.
At dinner they'll trait us
To mealy potaties,
And whisky, distilled at old Ballinafad!
ITO b. Continued